More on the Petira of Rebitzen Kanievsky OB”M

(Saturday, October 15th, 2011)

Bnei Brak is preparing for the levaya of Rebitzen Batsheva Kanievsky OB”M, 79, who was nifteres on Shabbos afternoon, collapsing while reciting Tehillim at 13:30. She was found in cardiac arrest. Efforts to resuscitate here were unsuccessful. The rebitzen was the wife of Maran HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita and a daughter of Posek HaDor Maran HaGaon Yosef Sholom Elyashiv Shlita.

It was reported by Ichud Hatzolah member Ze’evi Tepper, among the first on the scene, that the Rav opened the door to let them in, and as they began evaluating the situation vis-à-vis the rebitzen, the Rav told them “Bracha V’Hatzlocha”. The EMS team worked for about one hour and twenty minutes before the physician made the determination that there was nothing else to be done, pronouncing her dead.

The Rav davened maariv at home on motzei Shabbos, and recited kaddish following davening. While Posek HaDor Maran Rav Elyashiv will be notified after consulting with doctors and his closed gabbaim, but due to his weakened condition, he will not be attending the levaya.
The levaya begins on motzei Shabbos at 21:30 from the Lederman shul and kvura will be in the Zichron Meir Beis HaChaim in Bnei Brak.

The rebitzen was the eldest daughter of Posek HaDor Maran Rav Elyashiv Shlita, and her maternal grandfather was Rav Aryeh Levin Zatzal. As a child her special midos were already evident. She would often escort Rav Aryeh as he visited prisoners of the underground, carrying packages for the Rav.

Since her childhood she has been accustomed to rising early, using the special time to recite Tehillim. This permitted her to tend to matter of parnasa later in the day.

After her chasnah to Rav Chaim Kanievsky, a son of the Steipler Zatzal, as the many visitors would come to their home for brochos and advice, they began to realize the special qualities of the rebitzen, who provided a listening ear to those in need, willing to listen and give brochos for those seeking comfort.

Many many women from around the world made the trip to Bnei Brak to meet with the rebitzen, to receive advice and brochos. There are thousands of miracle stories attributed to the rebitzen as well.

The rebitzen was in Yerushalayim last week, for what has become her final visit with her father, Maran Rav Elyashiv. This took place on motzei Yomtov Rishon. She also visited a brother who lives in a nursing home in the capital and together with Rav Chaim, they visited the Kosel.

21 Comments

She told Gilad Shalit’s mother, that unfortunately, she doesn’t think she’ll be alive to see Gilad return – and he’s coming back home in 2 days! – is that nevua?
BD”E
I hope Rav Chaim & Rav Elyashiv have a full nechoma, and get over this terrible loss.
Rav Elyashiv has already lost another daughter this year, Rav Ezriel’s wife a”h

BD”E
Rboisai,
2 of our Gedoilim are being hit at once. let’s do something about it. “Nachpiso drochainu..”
She should be a mailitz yoisher for klal Yisroel and especially for her father shlita ad biyas goiel..

Sorry, but this sound like a bit of a bubba meisa. Its not the kind of statement she would make, even if she felt that way. She would do all she could to provide hope and optimism, NOT to say you will die before your son is release. You should not be spreading these types of stories on the day she was niftar.

Um, with all due respect, Gadolhadorah, you misunderstood daas_yochid’s comment; according to which Rebbetzin Kanievsky told Mrs. Shalit that she believes that she — Rebbetzin Kanievsky — won’t live to see Gil’ad return home.
I believe you owe daas_yochid an apology…

Um, with all due respect, Gadolhadorah, you misunderstood daas_yochid’s comment, according to which Rebbetzin Kanievsky told Mrs. Shalit that she believes that she — Rebbetzin Kanievsky — won’t live to see Gil’ad return home.
I believe you owe daas_yochid an apology…

Tears keep coming. This is such a shock. Rebbetzin Kanievsky A”H was so special, there are no words to describe her. The brachos she generously gave to my friend and me were mekuyam very soon after that. I was still hoping to request more brachos from her and can’t believe that can’t happen anymore.

My comment was wrong. I read the comment with reference to Shalit’s mother and not the rebbitzen herself. This version referring to her own petirah may be true but hard to know. Certainly, my initial understanding was not somthing she would have said.

This is a very sad occurrence in a time that is interestingly Zman Simchaseinu…but we are sure that Hashems Ways are Just! Yet, its incumbent on all of us to take a strong lesson from this.(Each one to his own).I think my lesson is that we must never take such people like Reb. Kaniefsky A”H for granted. How many people have her on their CholHamoed itinerary?? Practictly everyone who went to Eretz Yisroel for Succos planned on going to see her or at least planned to spend some time on the line leading to her house to see her husband….did we take it for granted that she allowed so many people tread through her home on a daily basis?? She wasn’t a young woman- yet she opened her home for all of Klal Yisroel with a smile… I don’t know the halacha of what is considered a ‘hespid’ or a ‘lesson’ or if you’re allowed to say a hespid on this Isha Chashuva…but one thing is for sure- we must fill this void of chesed that now exist with the Rebitzens passing.She wasn’t only was the wife and primary caretaker of the Gadol Hador Rav Chaim- Zul Zein Gezunt- she was a source of chizzuk for hundreds of Yesomim, Almanos, Agunas,etc. In a sense she was a ‘Gadol’ in her own right. May Rav Elyashiv shlita, Rav Chaim shlita and all the other aveilim have a Nechuma and Refuah shleima bekorov!! YZ’B

#19 – very appropriate suggestion. The Rebbetzin was a tremendous supporter of spreading shmiras halashon. This past winter, she came to the Mishmeres Hashalom volunteer reps’ convention to give divrei bracha and instead of staying for those few minutes to greet the 1,400 reps in attendance, she stayed up there on the dais for a very long time, way over an hour, maybe even two! I was there and I could not stop looking at her shining face which glowed the entire time! She did not want to leave this event of volunteers who dedicate themselves to spreading shmiras halashon (which is what Mishmeres Hashalom does). I heard from a friend in Bnei Brak that the Rebbetzin was supposed to come to a Mishmeres Hashalom asifa before Tisha B’Av but was too weak to come, so she sent a long taped message stressing how important shmiras halashon is.

may we all do teshuva & get the message from hashem of anyone niftar at the age of 79-like the spinka rebbe of yerushalyim niftar also at 79 the day before the Baba Elazar was stabbed & killed -its the perek of Tehillim referring to exactly todays situation going on in Eretz Yisroel (Although it was made over 3000 years ago by Dovid Hamelech)